Affirmative action

Overhyped, oversexed, overexposed, over here and all the way from New York City. Sound familar? Yeah, yeah and thrice yeah. Karen*O (vocals), Nick Vinner (guitars) and Brian Chase (drums) are the latest “stars” of the American guitar renaissance or invasion or whatever other stupid little name you want to call it. They’ve only been together since summer 2000 and their first ever gig was supporting the White Stripes. As the Smiths once sang, stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before.

This Spring, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are undertaking their first ever live dates outside New York in support of an eponymous debut EP of raw, rugged rawk. Karen*O squalls and screams over a screeching wall of guitar feedback and crashing drums (look Ma no bass!) that careers between a noisy sprawling mess and a taut, tight penchant for basic pop melodies.

Drummer Brian Chase is non-plussed about the PR maelstrom surrouding the US underground at the moment. “I don’t really get what people are talking about,” he opines. “The music has always been there as far as I’ve been concerned. Recently it’s just been making its way into the mainstream spotlight. There have always been great New York bands. The Strokes and White Stripes are opening doors for us in being embraced by a mainstream and popular audience so it’s nice to have that groundwork.”

Brian reveals that The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have half completed their debut album. They intend to finish it in early June after fulfilling touring commitments in Europe and have it ready for an August release. As they sing on the EP track ‘Our Time’; “So glad we made it. It’s our time to be hated!”.

Pick it up before the backlash starts!